Journal of Economic Literature
ISSN 0022-0515 (Print) | ISSN 2328-8175 (Online)
Criminal Deterrence: A Review of the Literature
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 55,
no. 1, March 2017
(pp. 5–48)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
We review economics research regarding the effect of police, punishments, and work on crime, with a particular focus on papers from the last twenty years. Evidence in favor of deterrence effects is mixed. While there is considerable evidence that crime is responsive to police and to the existence of attractive legitimate labor-market opportunities, there is far less evidence that crime responds to the severity of criminal sanctions. We discuss fruitful directions for future work and implications for public policy.Citation
Chalfin, Aaron, and Justin McCrary. 2017. "Criminal Deterrence: A Review of the Literature." Journal of Economic Literature 55 (1): 5–48. DOI: 10.1257/jel.20141147Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J64 Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
- K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law